Pressure-regulating air-circulating system for submarines.



T. T. P. AANSTOOTS. PRESSURE REGULATING AIR UIRCULATING SYSTEM FORSUBMARINBK APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1914.

1,1 15,367., Patented 0ct.27,1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

amen/Wm T. J. P. AANSTOOTS. PRESSUREREGULATING AIR CIRGULATING SYSTEMFOR SUBMARINEE.

I APPLIOATIGN FILED $1313.27, 1914 1,115,367? Patent-ed 2.91%

memo a auto cum;

Til, P. AANSTOOT S. PRESSURE REGULATING AIR GIRGULATING SYSTEM FORSUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.27, 1914. 1 1 1 5 356? Patented 0011221914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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TI-IEODORUS J. P. AANSTOOTS, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of To'all whom it may concern:

" Be" it known that I, THEODORUS J. P.

A ms'roors, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing atPassaic, in the county of Passaic and btate oi New Jersey,

have invented new and useful Improve- -1nents in Pressure-RegulatmgAir-Circulatter, enabling the boat and crew to remain submerged for aweek or more, until the necessary assistance can be obtained for raisingthe .boat and crew to the surface of the water.

The invention has among its objects-to provide means for exhausting thevitiated air from the interior of the submarine boat,

the exhaust of such air taking place automatically, the exhaust pipe,however, being under the control'of the occupants of the boat, Who maytrap the air therein so as td prevent the wasteful use of the same.

The invention also embodiesmeans for permitting the escape of air fromthe outlet pipe, while preventing the admission of water thereto, andmeans for testing the outlet pipe to detect the presence of watertherein, occasioned either by a leak or break in the pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for detecting thepresence of water in the inlet pipe preparatory to opening the same upinto communication with the storage tank; means for regulating thepressure of air in the boat, so as to insure a discharge of the vitiatedair therefrom; means for distributing the air from the compressed airtank to various parts of the boat; and means for holding and releasingthe inlet and outlet pipes, controllable from the interior of the boat.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as

will be hereinafter more fully described,

Letters Intent Patented @ct. 1914i.

Application filed February 27, 1914. Serial No. 821,561.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a partial. vertical longitudinal sectionthrough a submarine boat, showing the apparatus in side elevation. Fig.is a vertical section of the valved outlet pipe on an enlarged scale.Fig. 3 is a similar view of the valved inlet pipe. Fig. l is a verticalsection through part of the boat, showing the testing, pressureregulating and air distributing apparatus, storage tank and corelated Iparts. Figure 5 is a vertical section through the storage box, showingalso the under deck bolt guide and related parts. Fig. 6 is a detailvertical section showing the testing mechanism for the storage box. Fig.7 is a detail perspective view of the wrench used at the receiving endof the inlet pipe. Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section on an enlargedscale through the fixed and rigid air outlet pipe and the periscopetube, also portions of the deck and dome. Figs. 9 and 10 arerespectively top and bottom. plan views of the valve cages.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a submarine boat structure, inwhich mount ed a compressed air tank 2, to which the air inlet pipe,hereinafter particularly clescribed, it attached in such manner that thesupply of air may be pumped from a vessel on the surface of the watercontaining a suitable air compressor intosaid tank in the submarineboat.

The inlet pipe comprises a hollow buoyant head 3, shown as comprisingtwo substantially helm-spherical sections l and 5 having flanges 6bolted together, as shown at 7, with a packing ring or gasket- 8interposed between the flanges to secure a water and air-tight joint.

In the upper portion-or section of the buoyant head 3 is a valve cage 9provided with a flange 10 fastened to the section l of the head. Thiscage 9 is internally threaded, as shown at 11, to receive a hollownipple 12, the outer end of which is internally threaded, as at 13. toenable the nozzle of the hose from a suitable air compressor to becoupled thereto at the surface of the. water. The nipple 12 is providedwith an internal Valve seat 14-, with which an inwardly with a flange20, by which it is bolted or otherwise secured to the inner .section 5of the buoyant head. The part 19 is also exteriorly threaded, as at 21,to admit of the secure attachment thereto of a rubber hose or casing 22of suitable length to reach downwardly to the -submarine boat. Withinthe flexible hose 22 is arranged a soft metal tube 23 of less diameter,said tube being preferably formed of copper and having at its upper enda flange 24: which is on gaged by a circular rib 25 on the part 19, saidrib being V-shaped in cross section, so that when the tube 23 isconnected to the tube 18 by means of a threaded coupling 26, said ribwill be embedded in the flange 24: forming a water and air-tight joint.At its lower end the tube 23 is provided with a similar flange 27 whichis engaged by an annular rib 28 on a deck fitting 29, the upper end ofsaid fitting being exteriorly threaded to receive an internally threadedcoupling 30 similar to and having the same function as the coupling 26,above referred to.

- The deck fitting 29 is provided with a flange or deck plate fastenedby bolts 33 to the deck 32 of a submarine boat. The lower end of thehose 22 is securely fastened to a threaded nipple 3 1 the flange 35 ofwhich is engaged by a'relatively largounion 36, said union having athreaded engagement, at 37, with the deck fitting. The flange 35 and thedeck fitting 29 are provided with annular grooves 38 to receivesemi-cylindrical spacers 39, as shown in Fig. 3, which spacers serve tocompensate for the variation in the length of the inner metallic tube 23and the outer rub ber hose or casing 22.

On the inner end of the deck fitting 29 within the hull of the submarineboat, an air tubeiO forming an extension of the flexible inlet pipe isconnected by means'of a coupling all. The other end of the pipe 40 isconnected to one endof a check valve, casing 12 by means of a threadedcoupling 13, each of the joints within the couplings and 453 beingsimilar to those contained in the couplings 26 and in the casing I heldagainst its seat by means of a coiled 'pring encircling the stem e6 ofthe valve.

tank, as shown.

30 hereinabove described.

as to form a tight oint at each place. lVithelf lie mounted acheck valve14tdesignates a combined plug and guide for the valve stem 16, the samebeing screwed into one end of the casing 4:2, as shown in Fig. 3.

Arranged at one side of the check valve and connected thereto by meansof a union 18 is a casing 49, in one end ofwhich is ar ranged a stopcook 50, while in the other end of said casing is arranged a test cook51. The stop cook is provided with a square axial recess 52 whichreceives the square stem 53 of an operating handle 54:, the stem 53passing through a cap 55 threaded on' the casing 49; and being providedinside of the cap with an annularv shoulder or flange 56 which, when thestem 53 is moved outwardly, lies in close contact with'the inner wall ofthe cap 55 and prevents leakage of air. The stop cook 50 is internallythreaded, as shown, and engages internal threads within the casing as,so that by turning the handle 54:, the stop cock is advanced toward ormoved away from its seat 57, for opening up or closing the air passage58. 59 designates the nozzle which is connected to the compressed airThe test cock 51 is also threaded into the casing 49, as shown, beingthereby movable toward and away from its seat 60. I

61 designates a part, through which any water found in the passage 58may drip, thus indicating the presence of a leak or break in the inletpipe as a whole.

The air on leaving the compresed air tank is admitted to the casing 62of a pressure regulator which embodies a plunger 63 having a face 64,against which the compressed air acts. The plunger 63 is normallypressed inwardly by means of a coiled spring 65, en

circling a stem 66 extending outwardly from the plunger and provided atits inner end with a head or flange 67 adapted to turn in a recess 68 inthe outer end of the plunger.

The stem 66 passes through a combined within the pressure chamber 72 ofthe regulator.

Arranged opposite the face 6420f the plunger is a valve 7 3 carried bythe 813611174; of the plunger, the stem T 1 projecting from the side ofthe plunger opposite the stemv 66.

As the plunger 63 moveswith the casing,

the valve to is moved toward and away from the valve seat '75. r

l l'xtending off from one side of the chamber 72 is a pipe 7 6 which isconnected by a union 7''? to the nozzle 78 *of a casing 7 9, in

which is arranged a stop cock 80- provided with an operating handle 81slmilar in all respects to the arrangement shown in con-- nection withthe stop cock in Fig. 3, the stop cook 80 serving to open and close theair passage 82 in the casing 79. After the proper amount of air has beenreleased from the storage tank into the boat, the stop cook 80 may beclosed, so as to prevent the further admission of air into theboatIwhich would tend toincrease the air pressure in the boat, above thedesired point. Leading off from the opposite side of the chamber 72 is anozzle 88 which is connected by a union 84 to the nozzle 85 of adistributer 86 containing an air chamber 87, into which projects a pipe88, the inner end of which is arranged adjacent to one wall of thechamber 87. This pipe 18 extends outwardly through the cap or head 89 ofthe distribute]: casing, and is provided with a T 90, to

which are secured oppositely extending dis tributing pipes 91, saidpipes being connected to the T 90 by means of couplings 92. Each ofthepipes 91 is perforated along the length thereof, the perforationspr0gres sivelv increasing in size toward the outer ends of the pipes 91,so as to insure a thorough distribution of the air under pressure to allparts of the boat occupied by the crew. 93 designates a pressure gage incommunication with the distributer chamber 87.-

9&1 designates alubricating cup which is connected by a pipe 95 to anannular lubrieating channel 96 surrounding the piston 63, for thepurpose of lubricating thelatter.

The air outlet or exhaust pipe, indicated at 97, consists of a rubberpipe or hose, to the outer end of which is connected a buoyant head 98comprising oppositely arranged sections99 and 100 bolted together in a.man ner similar to the buoyant head 3, above described. At its innerend, the head 98 is provided with a downwardly extending nipple 101, towhich the corresponding end of the hose or pipe 97 is fastened, as shownin Fig. 2, the inner end of said hose 97 which may be of any suitablelength being connected, at 102, to a deck fitting 103 passing throughthe deck 33 of the submarine boat. The dock fitting 103 is shown asprovided witha flange 101 secured by bolts 105 to the deck. In the outermember of the buoyant head 98 is placed a valve cage 106, in which isthreaded a multiple valve seat 107 containing a number of valves 108which openoutwardly and permit the vitiated air to escape, whilepreventing the admission of water. Each valve is provided with a valvestem 109, and a seating spring 110 held in place by a nut 111, oneachvalve stem. At the bottom of the valve cage 106 is placed aperforated guard 112 to prevent the nuts 111 from working off the stemsof the valves.

submerged.

The valve cage is provided with a, flange 113, by which it is fastenedto'the buoyant head. Threaded onthe inner end of the deck fitting 103,inside of the submarine boat, is another valve cage 111, into which isscrewed a multiple valve seat115 containing a number of valves 116whichopen outwardly to allow the air to escape and which prevent theadmission of water.

Threaded upon the bottom of the valve cage 11% is a sealing cap 117having a central polygonal boss 118 adapting said cap to beturned by awrench. The cap 117 carries a water outlet nozzle 119 and is alsoprovided with a detachable threaded plug-120. said plug being arrangedin line with one of the valves 116, so that by screwing inthe'plug 120to lift said valve, and opening the'faucet 119 to admit air within thecap, the pres ence of water in the outlet pipe may bedetected. If nowater is found thereimthen the cap 117 may be removed, so as to permitthe vitiated air in the boat to pass outwardly through the pipe 97,escaping by means of the valves 108 without admitting water to thebuoyant head 98 andthe pipe 97.

Located on the desk of the submarine boat is a storage box 121 adaptedto contain both 1 the inlet and outlet pipes and their buoyant head, sothat said parts may be released at any time to permit the buoyant headsto reach the surface of the water, or a point as 1 near the surface, aswill be permitted by the lengths of said pipes. The box- 121 is providedaround the margin thereof witha depression or recess l22 which receivesa V shaped rib 123 on the bottom of the box lid 121. The lid 1241 isfastened to one of the sides of the box b means of hin es 125 so thatsaid lid may swing upwardly" to an open position, the lid beingassisted'in otherwise securely fastened to the deck with a water-tightjoint. The ribs 123 on the bottom of the lid embed themselves in rubbergaskets in the recesses or depressions 122, and thereby prevent theadmission of water beneath the lid, when the The bolt 127 passes througha stufiing box 131 in a deck fitting 132 and downwardly through aU-shaped guide 133 provided with flanges 134 fastened to the under sideof the deck by bolts 135. At its lower extremity the bolt 127 isprovided with an operating boat is swinging upwardly bymeans of buoyantmembers 126 formed of some such material n-in handle 136, by means ofwhich it may be given a quarter turn to move the lip 128 into and out ofengagement with the keeper 129. Nuts 137 and 138 are threaded on thebolt 127above and below the bottom bar of should stick.

forced open by incans'of the bo permits the pipes with. their buoy- 139represents a key or pin insertible in a slot 140 in the bolt 127, andalso through a slot in the casing to prevent said bolt from turning,should the nuts 137 and 138 work loose.

In order to admit water to the box 121 and release the air therefrom, anair valve.

14:1 is located near the top of the box, the s: s. controlling an airoutlet port 142 in the valve casing 143. A water inlet valve 144: isarranged at a lower point in the box 121, the same being mounted in thecasing 14:5 embodying a port The stem 149 of the valve 141 is connectedto the upper stem 150 of the water valve Ltd, by means of a connectinglink 151, and to the lower stem 152 of the lower valve is connected thestem 158 of an'operating handle 154:, the last-named stem passingthrough a stufling box 155 in the deck 32, as shown inFig. 6.

In order to loosen and tighten the nipple 12, a wrench 156 is used, thesamehaving one end slotted to provide oppositely located jaws 15'?adapted to engage flat bottom grooves 158 in the nipple 12, the wrenchbeing held in place by means of a thumb screw 159, the'inner end oiwhich projects between the jaws 157 and prevents the accidental escapeof the wrench from said nipple.

It will beunderstood, by reference to the drawings, that the deckfittings, referred to in the foregoing description, are all locatedwithin the storage box 121, the bottom of which is formed by the deck.This permits the inlet and-outlet pipes, together with the. buoyantheads carried thereby, to be located wholly within said box and beneaththe water-tight cover thereior. Should the submarineboat be unable torise to the surface, as soon as fresh air is'necded by the occupants ofthe boat, the lid 12 lthe storage box is released, and if nece r y itheads to move upwardly toward the suri'aee o1 the, water. It the pipesare o1 suliicient height, the buoyant heads arrive at the sur face ofthe water and float thereon, thereby indicating the presence of thesubmari:v boat at that point.

plug 120 is screwed in and one of the valves in line therewith lifted toascertain Whether or not there is a water leak in the pipe. If not, thesealing cap 117 is removed, which permits the vitiated air, which isunder pressure in the hull of the boat, to displace the valves in thebottom and top cages and escape without admitting water. In a likemanner, the inlet pipe is tested by the means described to ascertainwhether or not there 1 is a leak therein, and if not, the test cock 51is closed and the stop cock 50 is opened, thereby allowing air to bepumped from an overhead vessel down through the inlet pipe into thecompressed air tank 2.

The pressure regulator allows air to pass from the tank 2 into thevessel at a pressure suliiciently greater than ordinary atmosphericpressure to force the vitiated air out through the outlet pipe, the airpressure being regulated by the mechanism hereinabove described.Furthermore, the air delivered from the tank through the regu-' latorinto the distributing chamber is carried therefrom by the divergentdistributing pipes 91 to the parts of the submarine boat. In this way, athorough circulation of air" may be maintained in. the submarine boatfor an indefinite period, giving ample time tor the wrecking vessel tofix the necessary tackle to the submarine boat and raise the same to thesurface of the water.

In order to provide for expelling the vitiated air from the submarineboat while the boat is traveling beneath the surface of the water, as inthe case of bad weather when it is necessary to close the boat againstthe admission of water, I provide a rigid air outlet tube, shown in Fig.8 as comprising sections 160 and 161, the said sections being providedwith flanges 162, by which they are bolted together, as shown, suitablepacking 163 being interposed between the flanges to form a tight joint.The lower section is provided with a, deck flange 16% secured by bolts1.65 to the deck, packing 166 being interposed between said flange andthe deck to term a tight joint.

lhe upper and lower extremities of the air outlet pipe, shown in Fig. 8,are in ernally threaded to receive top and bottom valve 1 172 interposedbetween the perforated bot- Before opening up the outlet pipe, the tom.173 of the valve ca and a nut 17st.

above described.

1 er the boat.

2'. The combination with a submarine boat, of a'compressed airtank-located therein,-a' flexible air supply leadingthereto, a checkvalve controlling said pipe, an air distributer to which the air is ledfrom said tank, a pressure regulator between the tank and distributer,and aflexible air outlet pipe Leading outwardly from the interior oftheoat. I Y 3. The combination with a. submarine boat, of a compressedairtank located therein, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetween the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leadingoutwardly from the interior of the boat, and a check. valve controllingsaid pipe. I

4. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air'tanklocated there in, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetweenthe tank and distributer, embodying a spring seated valve, and aflexible air outlet pipe ieading outwardly from the interior of the oat.

5. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated there in,a flexible air supply leading thereto, an

air distributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressureregulator between the tank and distributer, embodying a spring seatedvalve, means for varying the resistance of said valve away from 1tsseat, and a flexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly from the interiorof the boat.

6. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated, therepipe at both ends.

in, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an air distributer to whichthe air .is led from said tank, a pressure regulator between the tankand distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly from theinterior of the boat, and a multiple valve seat and valves controllingsaid outlet pipe.

7. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated there air distributor to which the air is led'from said tank, apressure regulator between the in, a flexible airsupply leading thereto,an";

tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly fromthe interior of j the boat, and valves controlling said outlet 8. Thecombination with a submarine" boat, of a compressed air tank locatedthere-j in, .a flexible air supply leading thereto, an air distributorto which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulator between thetank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly fromthe interior of the boat, multiple valve seats at the opposite ends ofsaid pipes, valves therefor, and a removable sealing cap covering thevalves at the boat endof said outlet pipe.

9. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetween the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leadingoutwardly from the interior of the boat, a hollow buoyant head at thefree end of said outletzpipe, and a plurality of, air outlet valves insaid head. i

10. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air'supply leading thereto, an

air distributer to which the air is led from.

said tank, a pressure regulator between the tank and distributer, aflexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly from the interior of i theboat, multiple valve seats at the opposite ends of said pipes, valvestherefor, a removable sealing cap covering the valves at the. boat endof said outlet pipe, and an adjust-12. able plug in said cap in linewith oneof saidvalves. I

11. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated there in, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an

air distributer to which the air is led from i;

said tank, a pressure regulator between the tank and distributer, aflexible air outlet.

pipe leading outwardly from the interior of i .valves, and a wateroutlet faucet on said cap.

12. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetween the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leadingoutwardly from the interior of the boat, a check valve in said inletpipe, and a test cock for detecting the presence of water in said inletpipe.

13. The combination with a submarine boat, ofa compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air supply leading thereto, anairdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressureregulator between the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipeleading outwardly from the interior of the boat, said inlet pipeembodying an outer caslng of rubber, an inner tube of soft metal, a deckfitting, couplings securing the casing and tube ,to said deck fitting,and semi-cylindrical spacers in one of said couplings to compensate forvariation in the lengths of said casing andtube.

14:. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetween the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leadingoutwardly from the interior of the boat, a storage box on the deck ofthe boat in which the flexible inlet and outlet pipes are housed whennot in use, a lid for said box, and means operable Within the boat forreleasing said lid.

15. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a fiexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributor to which the air is led. from said tank, a pressureregulator between the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipeleading outwardly from the interior of the boat, a storage box on thedeck of the boat in which the flexible inlet and outlet pipes are housedwhen not in use, a buoyant lid for said box, and means operable withinthe boat for releasing said lid.

16. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed. air tanklocated there in, a flexible air supply leading thereto, an airdistributor to which the air is led from said tank, a pressure regulatorbetweei'i the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipe leadingoutwardly from the interior of the boat, a storage box on the deck ofthe said tank, a pressure regulator between the tank and distributer, aflexible air outlet pipe leading outwardly from the interior of thetboat, a storage box on the deck of the boatin which the flexible inletand outlet pipes are housed when riot in use, a lid for said. box, andvalve mechanism controlled {within the boat for admitting water to saidstorage box.

18. The combination with a submarine boat, of a compressed air tanklocated therein, a flexible air supply'leading thereto, an

air distributer to which the air is led from said tank, a pressureregulator between the tank and distributer, a flexible air outlet pipeleading outwardly from the interior of the boat, a storage box on thedeck of the boat in which the flexible inlet and outlet pipes are housedwhen not in use, a watertight lid for .said box, and means operablewithin the boat, for releasing said lid.

19. The combination with a submarine] boat, of means for supplying airto the interior of said boat under pressure, and a rigid air outlet pipeextending upwardly from the deck of. the boat and having its lower endpassing through the deck, and outwardly opening check valves arranged inthe upper and lower ends of said outlet,

boat, of means for supplying air; to the interior of said boat underpressure, a rigid air outlet pipe extending. upwardly from the deck ofthe boat .and havingits lower 20. The comblnation with a SUbIIlfLIlDQand passing through thedeck, outwardly opening check per and lower endsof said outlet. pipe, and a valves arranged in the upsealing capremovably fitted .to the lower end of said air outlet pipe.

In testimony whereof I- atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

} THEODORUS J. I.'AANSTOOTS.

Witnesses: p

Mynox L. Snvnnsox, SAMUEL HiLFMA'N.

